


First Meetings

by PresAlex



Series: Local Baker Falls In Love With High School Math Teacher And University English Professor More At Ten [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: (its not relevant yet but both button and jack r trans i just wanted 2 say), Bakery, Canon Bisexual Character, Canon Trans Character, First Meetings, Fluff, I kno its unrealistic that all the customers r good but its FICTION, Meet-Cute, Multi, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Original Character(s), Polyamory, Pre-Relationship, Selectively Mute Character, Sign Language, University, fuck you if you think i edit my writing, ive never worked in a bakery or cafe dont @ me, selective mutism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-24
Updated: 2017-11-24
Packaged: 2019-02-06 05:36:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12810765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PresAlex/pseuds/PresAlex
Summary: #1- English student is allergic to nutmeg. Tries to explain this to the cute baker without realizing said baker can't actually respond back.#2- Stressed math student had to take mandatory English course but has no idea how to write an English essay all let alone in two days. Cute baker thinks that much espresso is Too Much Espresso.





	First Meetings

Joanna and Danny Gilbo had owned their bakery and cafe for nearly two years. In those two years, they had worked out a sort of schedule. On Danny’s bad days when his voice left him, he stayed in the back baking or helped Joanna with drinks during rushes. On Joanna’s bad days when nothing felt quite clean enough, Danny would take the till while Joanna deep cleaned the bakery until her anxieties had been soothed.

They had quite a few regulars who had been coming religiously to their shop nearly since they opened. Everyone in the neighbourhood was incredibly kind, and it was a prime location what with the high school and university a few blocks away and the daycare across the street. Every other morning Luz would come in with her two sons before she dropped them off at daycare so that she could head to work. David came in every once in a while before real estate meetings, always leaving a generous tip on his way out the door. Janet came in during the afternoons while her niece was at soccer practice, and was known to invite the Gilbos over to their house for dinners every once in a while. These regulars among others made the siblings’ job worth it. They had always loved people and baking so the job was the perfect outlet.

More often than not, the shop would be filled with students chatting with friends, working on homework, or relaxing. The Gilbos had invested in wifi for the store when a regular who was taking classes for med school online complained about their stepfather turning the wifi off all day so that they couldn’t finish their work. Ever since this business had been excellent. It wasn’t unusual to see the siblings sitting with students during breaks, helping them study or memorize lines for upcoming school plays. Needless to say, the two were a hit with the neighbourhood.

On a particularly busy day, Joanna was on till taking people’s orders while Danny stood quietly behind her making drinks. His voice had left today so he was glad that Joanna was comfortable taking over the cash register. The two of them got into the flow of things after the first few customers, working in tandem with each other. Since Danny couldn’t call out the names on the cups, he would hand them back to his sister to give out to customers. As Danny handed a finished drink to his sister and turned to make another one, he heard an apologetic voice speak up from the counter.

“Ah. Um, excuse me? I just got the wrong drink,” The voice said. Danny turned around to see a tall man standing with a cup in his hand and an apologetic look on his face, “I don’t usually complain, and I’m not now, but I got my drink has nutmeg in it and I’m quite allergic to it”

Danny’s eyes widened and his hands fluttered out reaching for the man’s cup and receipt. His eyes scanned the receipt so he knew what the drink was he had to remake while the man continued to talk at him.

“I _am_ really sorry about this. I know that you’re really busy right now and I hate to be a bother! I can pay for another one if you’d like?”

Danny opened his mouth as if to speak, furrowed his brow and shook his head petulantly. Knowing he couldn’t explain to the man that he didn’t have to do that, he turned to get his sister’s attention. With the line being nearly gone, he found that Joanna had temporarily taken over his place making drinks for customers. When he turned to her he found her already looking at him with an eyebrow raised. She set the drink in her hands down on the counter.

 _Switch?_ Joanna signed. Danny nodded, relieved and handed his sister the drink he was holding.

 _Thank you,_ he Signed back as he took over again making coffees, grateful that the line had nearly disappeared so that he wouldn’t have to help anyone awkwardly without a voice.

————

Three days later found Danny on till. Joanna was sitting on the floor scrubbing at the cupboards with a sponge, absent-mindedly tapping her fingers on her thighs. Danny knew he wouldn’t respond, but enjoyed when he talked to her so he stood leaning against the counter detailing the events of a text he had just finished. His sentence was cut short by the jingle of the bell that was hung above the door. Danny turned to face the customer and smiled warmly.

“Welcome! How can I help you today?” Upon recognizing the man in front of him, Danny smiled wider, “I recognize you from a few days ago! Sorry I couldn’t introduce myself properly. My name is Daniel, but you can call me Danny,” He quickly glanced down at his sister who uncomfortably shrugged showing that she didn’t want to be pointed out at the moment, “The lovely lady who helped you before was my sister, Joanna”

The man’s mouth formed a small ‘o’ shape as he stuck out his hand, “That was actually why I wanted to come in today. I wanted to apologize. I didn’t know at the time that you were unable to respond so I kept jabbering on…” The man trailed off sheepishly.

“That was your first time in our shop, yeah? It was neither of our faults, don’t worry,” Danny said as he shook his hand, “What’s your name by the way?”

“…Button”

Danny raised his eyebrows slightly, grinning, “Alright Button and how can I help you today?”

“Oh, I’ll have one of your turnovers please,” Button said.

“Just the pastry for you today?” Danny confirmed. After exchanging money, Button went to sit at the end of the counter and pulled out a book. He only looked up when a plate and a to-go cup were set down in front of him.

“Oh, I didn’t order a drink?” Button said, confused.

“On the house,” Danny said, winking and heading back to help the next person in line. From behind him he heard Dan, the old man who came in every day to have coffee and read the paper, lean over to Button and stage-whisper,

“Careful or that boy will charm you next. Those siblings already charmed the rest of us here”

“Hear, hear,” Janet muttered from the table behind Dan, raising her mug slightly. Her niece giggled into her hand, trying to pass it off as a cough. Button laughed softly and went back to reading his book.

When the rush had cleared, Danny walked over to Button, keeping one eye on the door so Jo wouldn’t have to take till.

“What are you reading?”

“King Lear for class”

“Howl, howl, howl, howl! O, you are men of stones:  
Had I your tongues and eyes, I’d use them so  
That heaven’s vault should crack. She’s gone forever!  
I know when one is dead, and when one lives;  
She’s dead as earth.” Danny recited. Button laughed and clapped playfully after the performance, “Thanks, it’s been a while since I read King Lear. I’m not even sure I got that right!” Danny said.

“He’s lying. He just finished rereading it and was explaining the plot to me before you walked in,” Joanna whispered from where she was standing behind Danny, scrubbing the countertop. Danny flushed, waving his arms at her to hush her while she laughed.

Danny spent the next few minutes alternating between talking about King Lear with Button and manning the cash register. From his conversation with Button, the man was an English major at the local university, and was actually a few years younger than Danny–This was surprising for the baker since the man was so tall he had taken him to be older than he actually was. Button left shortly after he had finished his pastry, leaving a tip at the counter as compensation for his drink despite Danny’s protests.

Sure enough, the student became the bakery’s next regular customer.

**Author's Note:**

> find me @crykea and find art of these kids @cryke-art
> 
> i have no motivation to finish any of my ongoing fics or my essays and all the motivation ever to write about my ocs do you see my problem here


End file.
